Mini Makers: Storytelling through Mechanics (3-Day Camp)

Mini Makers: Storytelling through Mechanics (3-Day Camp)

This workshop is open to children aged 9-12 years old.

Date: 2 - 4 December 2024

Time: 9AM - 1PM

Location: VIVISTOP Kampong Eunos, 10 Kampong Eunos 417775

Unleash your child’s creativity at our 3-day automata camp!

Kids will dive into the world of mechanical motion, building their own moving creations from scratch through building their own automatas. They’ll craft captivating stories and characters, bringing their ideas to life through hands-on engineering and art. By the end, they’ll transform their creations into a shareable animation to proudly showcase their work! It’s a thrilling blend of imagination, mechanics, and storytelling—a perfect holiday adventure for young inventors and creators!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understanding automata mechanics (cam, axles, motion principles)
• Hands-on experience building and personalizing automata
• Storytelling through motion and character design
• Design and refine character design using vector softwares
• Learn to prepare digital file for laser cutting and engraving
• Creating digital documentation through animation

DAY-TO-DAY PROGRAMME BREAKDOWN

Day One:

• Explore the basics of automata mechanics through hands-on challenges.
• Understand how cams, axles and gears work together to create different motions through physical model aids
• Basic prototyping skills
• Guided brainstorming session to ideate a storyline narrative for their project, and build a rough prototype to visualise their ideas.
• Reflections to highlight key learnings, celebrate progress and gather insights.

Day Two:

• Learn essential vector software skills to design custom characters for each automata.
• Understanding the process of laser-cutting and seeing it in action.
• Refining prototype and creating a digital file for laser-cutting from scratch.
• Reflections to highlight key learnings, celebrate progress and gather insights.

Day Three:

• Assembling and crafting final automata project, using paint and upcycled materials to bring it to life.
• Creating a short animation of your automata in action, adding sound and background effects.
• Presentation of final products to both peers, and making a video documentation of their process.
• Reflections to highlight key learnings, celebrate progress and gather insights.

You will notice that reflections are a key component to ending each of the 3 days as we believe that reflective tinkering and sharing encourages divergent thinking and provokes discussion.

Through this program, we aim to empower children by nurturing their creativity and demonstrating their potential to make a real-world impact. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, we help children see how science, physics, and STEM principles come to life through hands-on creative and problem-solving projects.

ABOUT JASMINE

Meet Jasmine Quek, your main facilitator! With a passion for material exploration and a focus on the design process, Jasmine brings a raw, inquisitive approach to her work. She loves transforming everyday objects and materials into thought-provoking pieces that shift perspectives. One of her creations was even featured in Visions of the Future, a showcase by DesignSingapore celebrating emerging local designers.

Jasmine graduated with a Bachelor’s in Industrial Design from the National University of Singapore in 2017 and spent three years in a local design studio before joining VIVITA. Now, she leads the programs team, constantly prototyping new workshop ideas—like automata! With years of experience working with schools and communities, she’s known for her engaging, hands-on approach to teaching design thinking through tinkering. Loved by both kids and teachers, Jasmine’s humor and expertise make every workshop a memorable experience.

ABOUT VIVITA SINGAPORE

VIVITA Singapore is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering children and youth to explore, innovate, and create with confidence. We provide a space for young learners to experiment, nurturing their curiosity without the constraints of a structured curriculum.

We also support inclusivity by reserving slots for children under the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) or Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) to join our programs for free. If your child is under FAS or CHAS and are interested in our programmes, please write in to us at [[email protected]] to make arrangements!

Revenue from our paid programs funds free sessions like Tinker Time and outreach efforts, ensuring children from diverse backgrounds have access to creative opportunities. Join us in building a future where every child can learn and create with #nolimits!

Instagram: @vivitasingapore

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

VIVISTOP Kampong Eunos, 10 Kampong Eunos, Jurong, Singapore